BICOM

The fact-finding mission of Arab League monitors in Syria came to an end yesterday, with its members due to report over the weekend on the government crackdown on protests. Ambassador Adnan Al Khudeir, the Cairo-based head of the monitoring operation, said the league and the Syrian government are negotiating an extension to their mandate. A senior Arab League official, who could not be named because he was not authorised to comment on the matter, told CNN that the monitors would remain in Syria while the issue was discussed – and that all signs pointed to an extension being agreed to by both sides. A handful of Arab League members will meet Saturday, led by Qatar, before the full 22-state body meets Sunday in Cairo to discuss the monitors’ final findings, the official said.

The purpose of the month-long fact-finding mission was to see if the government was adhering to an agreement to end the violence. The Arab League has called on Damascus to stop violence against civilians, free political prisoners, remove tanks and weapons from cities and allow outsiders, including the media, to travel freely around Syria. However, opposition activists and human rights monitors say the Syrian government has not stopped its violent actions against protesters since the mission began on 26 December, and have questioned the mission’s effectiveness, as violence around the country continues to be reported.